Energy Independence; A Bait & Switch

As US energy output surges, Republicans lead effort to lift decades-old oil export ban
By Joseph Weber Published July 19, 2015 FoxNews.com

"Congressional Republicans are leading a bipartisan effort to lift a decades-old ban on oil exports, arguing the recent surge in domestic-energy production and other factors have pushed the embargo past its prime."

My Comments About The Article AboveIt was only 5 years ago in 2010 during the last presidential election cycle Sarah Palin and the Republican party's rallying cry heard loud and strong was DRILL BABY, DRILL!


2010

It was they who accused Obama of not allowing enough drilling He was accused of forming a road block from United States becoming "energy independent".

A few months later into Obama's second term all we heard about was how much the 'Keystone XL pipeline' was desperately needed.

Now flash forward to the present time and many of these same vocal politicos are doing a 180 telling us we have plenty even without the 'Keystone XL pipeline' being built.

When it comes to politics short term memories can be a politician's best friend.


Apparently the whole argument was built on a false premise to begin with. If that was the case, why then should this latest Republican position hold any more credibility then the last?

Larger concerns should be addressed before legislative actions
(1) If we got plenty of oil and gas it should mean U.S. consumers are benefiting from lower prices. If we start exporting it will serve to drive up prices causing economic problems for the Obama administration. Or is that the idea?

(2) The mention of "bipartisan effort" should concern us as well. Where was all the bipartisanship when opponents accused Obama of trying to block 'energy independence'? Now that we apparently have it certain players want to move the goal post undoing the very thing they claim we now accomplished. Why should Democrats now support this?

(3) By exporting oil a portion of our economy will then be dependent on the whims of fluctuating oil prices, worldwide demand and some not so friendly oil cartel nations. Nations who would like nothing more then to keep energy prices below profitable levels for the United States.

(4) Exporting fossil fuels means there will greater need for production of them. More production means more drilling in areas formerly used for farming. Some of which owners saw it was a lot easier to sit back and count the checks coming in then getting up every morning to farm. It would also would further increase drilling in our fisheries and parks to fulfill the increased demand.

(5) Like it or not pipelines take years to build. Even longer as the public opposition to them can tie these projects up for years in courts. Time the fuel producers won't have if exporting is approved. While those cases play out in courts producers likely would then rely on railroad tank cars instead.. Far more than there are today going through our towns and cities. Most rails are built along rivers where possible because of the relative flatness. In other areas where there are few rivers it's not unusual rails run through the poorest section of towns. More production means more accidents. Not only on the rails but in the drilling sites themselves; both in oceans and on land. Do we really want to chance a greater risk then necessary to fulfill our own nation's needs.?

(6) Water is an ever growing scarcer to come by. Not just because of droughts but as the population increases so does the need for it in our homes and production faculties. The ever growing need for food also requires an increasing need for water as well. Fracking not only requires huge volumes of it, but the resultant water is no longer fit for human consumption. Sadly on a small number of farms it's being used by desperate growers on the food we eat who've run short of water.


FINAL THOUGHTS
Rather then looking to increase our dependence on fossil fuels for both our economic and energy needs we should instead be looking for other alternatives. Not just wind and solar projects but waste to energy. Lord knows we have enough wastes. We can utilize methane gases given off by the dumps. Burning cleanly both trash and human waste at treatment facilities. Utilizing this kind of already developed technology is a twofer. I simply do not understand why we aren't doing more of it.

Talks of exporting more fossil fuels may bring a quick bang for the buck, but over the long haul the worse possible thing we should do. Many of our leaders concerns are only for what benefits their careers with companies and our politicians ability to get reelected in their next election. This kind shortsightedness may not only cost us economically but endanger our very existence a few years from now.

I don't think I've overstated how important it is to make the right decisions. It all comes down to keeping earth clean, healthy and livable. Face reality. If we screw up this planet there's no other place to go. I haven't found a single species existing anywhere in the infinite universe outside this fish bowl we call home here on earth. Have you?